Transforming Trauma: Episode 145

Recognition of neurodiversity has increased rapidly over the last decade. But as more people enter the discourse about cognitive functioning differences like ADHD, dyslexia, and autism, a polarization of opinions follows, even among mental health professionals.  How do we navigate important discussions about neurodivergence when many people are so quick to pathologize individuals for their differences? 

 

On this episode of Transforming Trauma, host Emily Ruth is joined by Daniel Morehead, MD., a leading voice for mental health advocacy and author of Science Over Stigma: Education and Advocacy for Mental Health. Before becoming director of Psychiatry Residency training at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA, he enjoyed 20 years of private practice in Austin, TX. 

 

Emily Ruth and Daniel examine what it means to be neurodivergent, the role variation plays in evolution, and the radical act of greeting neurodivergence with curiosity and humility. The pair also discuss the intersection between folks who have experienced trauma and those who identify as neurodivergent. 

 

Daniel has lofty goals for psychiatry and humanity in general. “It’s a vague one,” he admits, “but close to my heart––a shared experience of the wondrous complexity of what each human being is, individually, and the joy of exploring and better understanding that.” To that point, he has long advocated for mental health and adjacent professionals to move beyond merely acknowledging the stigma that often accompanies both the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. Daniel advises folks to actively prevent causing harm in the first place. 

 

Our work begins with removing self-imposed barriers. “There’s no us people and those people,” says Daniel. “There’s not this illusory separation of, well, I’m a mental health professional and, then on the other side, there are people who have struggles or illnesses––as if I don’t have them.”

 

Daniel recommends that those in mental wellness and trauma care-related fields think more deeply and consistently about developing relationships. It’s wise counsel that mirrors the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM). In both instances, practitioners are invited to shift their attention away from ticking boxes in the DSM and focus on fostering meaningful connections––between therapist and client, client and society. “We share the suffering, but at the same time, [I’m] very inspired by talking to people about their experiences, pains, and even traumas. Not that it was good that it happened; it wasn’t,” he clarifies. “But, the wonder of how people survive and adapt and grow and heal is just so spectacularly beautiful.” 

 

In a culture that continues to force a singular “right way” of thinking, Daniel maintains that we must honor the myriad ways our brains and nervous systems differ. In that way, he posits, we include more people in society than we exclude. “Getting sick, having a disorder, having an illness, having things wrong with you developmentally––all of which I’ve experienced––they’re part of being human. And, we’re not less than.”

 

Transforming Trauma appreciates Daniel’s open-hearted approach to witnessing those who identify as neurodivergent. His work is a constant, compassionate reminder that neurodivergence is a process of evolution, and no one should feel ashamed of their differences.

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Daniel Moorhead, MD, is a psychiatrist who speaks nationally for mental health education. He is the author of Science Over Stigma: Education and Advocacy for Mental Health, and the Director of Psychiatry Residency Training at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA. Prior to this, he enjoyed a private practice in Austin, TX. For over 20 years, Dr. Morehead has maintained interest in psychotherapy, brain science, and spirituality.

 

QUOTES

 

“We’re human beings, and the human condition is that we all suffer. We are all subject to illness, inevitably.” 

 

“People dealing with trauma are, for good reason, often sensitive to misunderstanding or rejection or being left out or forgotten. And then, people with neurodiversity are often in the same position.”

 

“Being different is a setup for being wounded, if not traumatized.”

 

“We can do better as a culture, but I also want to say, sometimes when we think we’re perfecting our culture, we’re actually wounding a different set of people. We’re just changing the set of people that get wounded.”

 

“I have grown children. It was an embarrassment to me that I was a psychiatrist and I couldn’t ‘do better’ as a parent.”